Tems Becomes Africa’s Best‑Selling Female Artist

Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, widely known as Tems, has achieved a historic milestone, emerging as Africa’s best‑selling female artiste.

The Grammy‑winning star, who began her career in 2018, has now overtaken industry icons like Angélique Kidjo, Tiwa Savage and Yemi Alade to claim the top spot on global sales charts.

Record‑breaking numbers

According to available data, Tems has sold over 25 million units worldwide, cementing her status as the most commercially successful female African artist to date.

⁠‘Essence’ — 5x Platinum in the USA (5 million units)
⁠‘Wait For U’ — 3x Platinum in the USA (3 million units)
⁠‘Free Mind’ — 2x Platinum in the USA (2 million units)
⁠‘Higher’ — Platinum in the USA (1 million units)

She also boasts multiple Platinum and Gold certifications across the UK, Canada, France, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Belgium, and South Africa.

A new benchmark for African music

While Tems leads among female acts, Algeria’s Cheb Khaled remains Africa’s overall best‑selling artist with 81 million units, followed by Nigeria’s Wizkid with 75 million units.